Anxiety

Children with anxiety face long-term worry or fear that disrupts their daily lives, making it difficult for them to succeed in school, develop friendships or participate in activities. Untreated anxiety can cause depression and other emotional problems in children.

Children can experience many different types of anxiety, including:

• Separation anxiety. Children with separation anxiety fear being away from their parents or their home.
• Social anxiety. Children who fear public spaces or social situations may develop selective mutism, a condition in which they refuse to speak in public.
• Phobias. Phobias are extreme fears of a specific thing or situation, like swimming or bugs.

Children with anxiety may become so worried or afraid that they develop physical symptoms. Symptoms of anxiety include:

• Refusing to go to school or other places
• Recurring stomachaches
• Trouble sleeping or frequent nightmares
• Not talking in specific situations
• Having many and constant worries
• Repetitive thoughts or actions
• Low self-esteem
• Lack of confidence

It is important that a team experienced in treating children's anxiety evaluates your child because the symptoms of anxiety are similar to the symptoms of depression and other disorders. Your child's anxiety can be addressed with an early and accurate diagnosis and effective treatment.

Diagnosis of Anxiety

Doctors with Riley Child Development at IU Health perform thorough evaluations of children who may have anxiety. During the evaluation, the provider will take an extensive developmental history to find out about any health problems, what is going on in your child’s life and the history of his or her behavior. The provider will also observe how your child behaves and interacts during the appointment.

You may be asked to fill out a brief questionnaire or checklist. If needed, your child may be brought back for an appointment to undergo psychological testing, speech testing and/or a medical examination. This testing, often in the form of activities or games, lets your child’s provider identify symptoms and make an accurate diagnosis.

After the evaluation, you will receive a detailed report about your child's specific condition as well as a list of community resources that can help your child. The report allows all caregivers and healthcare professionals who care for your child to apply consistent techniques to help him or her improve.